Man jailed on July 21 terror charge

One of the men originally accused of planning the 21/7 terror attacks in London has been jailed after admitting a lesser offence.

Adel Yahya was sentenced to six years, nine months - minus 546 days already served - after admitting collecting information likely to be useful to terrorists.

But the judge sitting at the High Court in London said he would only serve half his sentence, meaning Yahya will be freed after 22 and-a-half months.

Yahya, 25, from Tottenham, north London, had originally faced a retrial at Kingston Crown Court next week on charges of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.

These charges have been withdrawn by the prosecution and not guilty verdicts entered.

Four other men were jailed for life at Woolwich Crown Court, London, in July over the failed 2005 attacks.

Muktar Said Ibrahim, Yassin Omar, Ramzi Mohammed and Hussain Osman were told they will all serve a minimum of 40 years in prison.

The attacks took place on three Underground trains at Shepherd's Bush station, Oval station, Warren Street station and a bus in Hackney Road.

Sentencing Yahya, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith at Woolwich Crown Court, sitting at London's High Court, said that the offence to which he had pleaded guilty - under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 - was one which might be committed in an almost infinite variety of ways. The appropriate sentence needed to reflect the particular facts and circumstances of the offence and the offender.

"Those, and their parents, brothers and sisters, partners and friends, who are tempted to collect such information should understand that mere collection is now a serious criminal offence which will normally attract a prison sentence whether or not the offender had any intention of actually taking part in a terrorist offence," he said.